About Mary Lou

With three decades of experience—as blue chip brand executive, as ad agency CEO and as women’s marketing expert—Mary Lou Quinlan introduces a new enterprise to combine her passions for creative expression and women’s storytelling.

Mary Lou Quinlan & Co.

This new venture will connect you with today’s women through media and performances, books and publications. Mary Lou continues to expand her talents as author, speaker, producer and actor and also connects you to the company she keeps. With her wide network of strategic, creative and production experts, Mary Lou can personally assemble a team – virtually, globally, locally – to collaborate in new ways on creative projects and ventures.

Meet Mary Lou

Mary Lou Quinlan has built a highly-awarded career dedicated to women. From her start at Avon Products, through her years as ad agency CEO for major global corporations, and her decade plus advising leading brands through her firm, Just Ask a Woman, Mary Lou knows women like nobody else. Leading brands including WellsFargo, SaksFifth Avenue, KAO, Westin and Kraft have turned to her for insights and answers that fuel success with women.

Mary Lou is a highly sought speaker who has keynoted hundreds of US and global conferences, sharing her provocative and high-energy take on women’s needs and lives. She is the author of three breakthrough business books, including What She’s Not Telling You, Time Off for Good Behavior, and Just Ask a Woman. She’s written inspirational features for Real Simple, O, the Oprah magazine, and a monthly career advice column for MORE. She’s appeared as a correspondent on the CBS Early Show, and as a judge on Simon Cowell’s ABC-TV primetime reality series “American Inventor,” among many media appearances. Her newest book, The God Box, Sharing my mother’s gift of faith, love and letting go became a New York Times bestseller in just three weeks and birthed a global movement, The God Box Project, with books published around the world, a vibrant online community, a mobile app and a one woman play.

She holds an MBA from Fordham University and honorary doctoral degrees from five U.S. universities, including Creighton University, Rosemont College, Chestnut Hill College, Alvernia College and her alma mater, Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia where she earned a B. A. in English. She has been honored as Advertising Woman of the Year by Advertising Women of NY and with the prestigious Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications. She and her husband, Joe Quinlan, live in New York City and Bucks County, Pennsylvania along with their dog, Rocky.

A Journey of the Heart

Share the backstory of Mary Lou’s evolution from business exec and women’s expert, author, speaker and TV presenter to actor and producer of her solo show at the famed Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014. Follow a real time reinvention of a woman’s life.

Did you know?

Little-KNown Fact # 1:

Mary Lou’s mother’s habit of eavesdropping taught her how to listen.

Little-KNown Fact # 2:

Women will repeat a bad customer service story for an average of 23 years.

Little-KNown Fact # 3:

Women buy more cars, choose more homes, and make more healthcare decisions than men.

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT # 4:

“The God Box” has grown to include an app, audio book, philanthropic venture and solo show performed by Mary Lou across the US. Now The God Box Project goes global to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.Go There